As we head into 2023, with the cost of living crisis still in full swing and energy bills going up, you may be looking for ways to save money at home.
Transport
Whether you drive or use public transport, travel likely makes up a large portion of your monthly spending. Luckily, there are ways to reduce these costs.
If you drive your own car, using comparison sites is a great way to ensure that you get the best deal on your car insurance as you may find cheaper alternatives than your current provider. When it comes to replacing your car, opting for a used car rather than a brand-new model could save you thousands of pounds. At a time when we are all tightening our belts a little, second-hand cars could be a good way to save some money. Fuel costs are still higher than they have been over the past few years but fuel price comparison websites can help you to find the cheapest fuel in your local area.
If you use public transport, it is always worth seeing if you are eligible for any discounts. For train travel, there is a range of Railcards that are available which can save you 1/3 of your train fare with a small yearly cost. This is worth doing if you travel frequently. Season tickets may also help you save money, especially if you travel daily to and from work via train or bus.
Energy bills
Energy bills are high at the moment and are predicted to continue rising until 2024, so knowing how to reduce your energy output can help you to save money at home. There is a huge range of ways to do this, with some options needing a tradesperson, while others you can DIY.
One of the easiest ways to reduce your energy bills is by draught-proofing your home and this is easy to DIY. You should look for and seal up any openings in your home that allow warm air to escape and cold air to enter such as doorways, letterboxes and chimneys. Buying thick floor-length curtains will also stop heat from escaping through gaps in the windows.
Another option that can help you to save money on energy bills is getting solar panels installed on your roof which can save around £405 per year, plus a further £110 for the excess energy that you can sell back to the power grid.
Food and drink
Each year households throw away over 4.5 million tonnes of edible food, so reducing your waste is a great way to save some money on your food shop. Meal planning is a good way to reduce waste as you are less likely to buy ingredients that will spoil before you get around to using them.
It is also worth being aware of how the time of day that you do your shop can impact the cost. Most supermarkets will discount items close to their best-before date before closing, so heading to the shop in the evening may mean you can bag a bargain on a range of products.
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